A Pound of Cake

     We leave for the beach in the Outer Banks in T-Minus 17 days and I still have 11 pounds of baby weight hanging out with me. I'm just like the next girl and I stress about my weight and jean size just like the next girl. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to the beach vacation being planned so close to having a baby! {I really did miscalculate the timing...I even bought CA the cutest yellow-polka dotted bathing suit that is going to be way too big for her}
     So, ever since I got the go ahead from my doc, I've been attempting to exercise. haha! Mostly I've been walking at least 2+ miles most everyday, sometimes pushing 70 pounds of pure preciousness. I think I've done about a gazillion lunges. I gained about 22 pounds while I was pregnant, you can do the math...
     So with D-day quickly approaching. (That's the day I have to actually get the bathing suit out and try it on, just to make sure I can squeeze it all in, I wonder if they make any suits out of Spanx?). I've incorporated the help of my sweet neighbor, Virginia, and my very ripped and focused husband to help me.
     However, neither of these people are being very much help! I'll elaborate...
     Virginia's great, she and I have been walking together all week, but she enjoys my love for Creative Cake Cupcakes just like me!!! Enough said!
     And Jim....OH MY WORD!!!!  He tried to teach me how to do a pull-up. But I think that bar in the closet is much better used as an extension to my clothes rack! I can't even do half a pull-up! I do good just to hold on! He told me if I would do those I would get ripped! RIGHT!!!! I'm sure he is right, but seriously. Tonight I asked him if he would help me work on my abs. He mentioned the number 500....500 what hun? Okay, we'll just do half.
     Then the nerve, oh the nerve....we got up off the floor and my sweet husband asks...Hey, we got the stuff to make that pound cake? Jim burns like 8,000 calories a day with all his running and all the other stuff he does. Eating a piece or two of pound cake right before he goes to bed can only help him! Me on the other hand, not only have no self control, I have no full factor since I've been nursing CA...I am always hungry! And the SUPERWIFE that I am, of course, I'm going to make him whatever he wants....because if I don't, he'll get my cookbook out and attempt to make it himself.
     He was hilarious! He smelled it when it was done baking. You should have seen his face when he saw it sitting on the counter. He made a beeline straight for it. That smile left real quick when I told him he had to wait 10 minutes. You would've thought he had gotten a bad time in a race. He was like a little kid. He walked around and around the kitchen island waiting for the thing to cool! He got the strawberries out and cut them up. Started to defrost the cool whip. He swung his arms back and forth. Like a kid at Christmas waiting for the grown-ups to stop talking and get on with the ripping open of gifts!
     The Pound Cake was surprisingly easy to make. All you have to have is:

1 1/2 cup     All-Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp         Baking Powder

1/8 tsp         Baking Soda

1/2 cup       Sour Cream

1/2 cup        butter

1 cup           sugar

1/2 tsp         vanilla

3                 eggs

Allow the butter, eggs and sour cream to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.  In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder and baking soda, until well blended. In a separate bowl, blend the butter at medium-high speed for 30 seconds.  Slowly add the sugar. Continue blending until light and fluffy {about 10 minutes}.

Blend in vanilla.

Blend in eggs, 1 at a time, blending mixture for 1 minute after each. Scrape sides of bowl frequently.

Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream, mixing at medium-low speed, just until combined. 

Pour into a floured loaf pan.

Bake for 60-75 minutes at 325 degrees or until the toothpick comes out clean. 

Let cool for ten minutes, remove from pan, cool.

Yes, I used a paper plate....this was a super simple dessert that needed a super simple plate...and besides...it was 10:00 p.m. by the time Jim got to eat it!!!

 I love you hun!!!!

Reality

For once she was happy just sitting
and I gave Jim a break from keeping
Andrew out of the drainage hole!

     Tonight I sat down on Andrew's bed as Jim was leading the boys in prayer. It's a precious moment that we love to do and hate to miss. We snuggle, give Eskimo kisses and ask about their day and any memory verses that we've learned. I sat there thinking, whew, this day went by fast, but boy was it so much fun! I don't want it to end. It was actually pretty normal for us, all but one thing...

     Our paths met in the bathroom. Just passing each other as we were both involved in separate tasks. Jim had gotten up early to run a 5K and had just returned and finished up showering. I had chosen to not attend the race, in fear of any drama or stress. Instead, when the kids woke up at 7:20, I fed them a quick breakfast and we headed out to watch the Hot Air Balloon race that we missed by like a long time...I misunderstood the brochure for the event, so since we were out, I took the kiddos-all 3- to Walmart for our usual...milk, bread and bananas! While I was there I also cashed in a gift card and got the boys a sandbox. Note to self: never let your kids walk through the toy section without first being strapped into the cart!
     I was headed to feed Carrie Ann and I paused...thought for a minute and looked up at Jim. I had missed his race. I never miss a race. Jim and I have been practically inseparable since we married 5 years ago. We have always done EVERYTHING together. I have always been at the starting line of every single race. We have a little kiss tradition that we do before each one. This morning he had slipped out quietly as to not wake me or the baby. I would go to different spots on the race route to see him and cheer him on. Once our first child came along, I continued to attend the races and began just waiting at the finish line. When #2 got here, I missed my first race. It was very sad. I've missed quite a few since then and I think it gets tougher with each one. {I know, I'm weird, but I'm Jim's biggest fan!}

I came out of the bathroom last week
and saw this amazing site!

     After returning from my errands, I had to feed Carrie Ann and get her peaceful so I could head out to an exercise class. Jim had decided he was going to take all 3, yes, all THREE, to the track meet at the high school.{{{{He did take all 3 to the track meet and I was sooooo proud of my macho man! When I questioned him about taking all three, he shrugged and said..oh, it'll be fine. I can handle it! Like it was a piece of cake! He gets major rock star points in my book today!!!}}}} It was weird. As I stood in the bathroom, I stopped him from whatever he was doing and said I had something serious to tell him. Something kind of sad. That got his attention! I expressed how sad it was that this was an inevitable point in our little family's existence! We were doing separate things. I knew this would come at some point, but I didn't know it would creep up on us like it did. I was taking the kids in the morning, he was taking them in the afternoon. I am sure some of you think this is very healthy and it's fine. Yes, I agree, but when I say we do everything together, I mean we do EVERYTHING together! We load up all three kids in the car to take a 10 minute ride to Little Caesar's to pick up our $6 pizza every Sunday night. We loaded them all up tonight after baths and in pajamas, just to get gas in my car! One night, right after Carrie Ann was born, I didn't take the ride for pizza-Jim took the boys, I kept the baby. He later told me that he missed me and enjoyed those little rides.

     When I got home from the exercise class, the boys had finished lunch and were watching a cartoon while Jim was tending to Carrie Ann. He handed her off to me to feed and for about 10 minutes we sat and talked...caught up on our day thus far...it was 1 p.m. and we were just getting to really talk. It was short because he was going to take Taylor back to the track meet during nap time to watch Jim's friend Max run.

     Finally...at 4:30...we met again in the garage....Carrie Ann snoozing and the boys playing in their sandbox in the backyard....we get in a hug and an I love you. For a few moments we ignored the chores we had to do and forced ourselves to connect and enjoy each other and to, together, go and enjoy our little boys.

    It was great. Just great. God has blessed Jim and I with so much...I don't mean materially, I mean, in our relationship and marriage, and sometimes, we get ourselves so preoccupied that we take that for granted.

     So tonight, after our pajama run, we tucked all three children in their beds, I made us some fruit smoothies and now, we are going to do one thing that we realllly love to do together...watch some t.v.!!!     

A house for the birds

     A few years ago I met Mr. Adrienne.  I finally met his wife, Mrs. Bonnie, less than two years ago when she was leading a Bible study I was attending at our church. She is such a delight! I have really enjoyed getting to take Bible studies under her leadership. I see Mr. Adrienne every Sunday in the hallway outside our classroom...he does something out there with the records, not sure what though.

     Mr. Adrienne had told me once that he used to teach shop and that he would help me with anything I needed. I love those kind of offers!!! I commissioned Mr. Adrienne to make me some matching picture frames for my living room for my three ducklings.

     I started staining them the week before Carrie Ann arrived and haven't had the first second to finish them up yet! However, when we went to Mr. Adrienne and Mrs. Bonnie's house to pick these up, Mr. Adrienne had a project for Jim and Taylor to do! He had cut out all the pieces for a birdhouse for Jim and Taylor to assemble!

 

Jim is explaining why this is the first time he has ever used a nail gun...

      Mr. Adrienne is very methodical and has a tool shop that made me giddy!  

 He led Jim and Taylor step by step in assembling the birdhouse.

     Taylor was scared of the little drill at first. Then he got the hang of it!

They added the car tag roof.

Taylor had soooo much fun!!!!

They added a sparkplug as the welcome post!

Taylor is Mr. Adrienne's new adopted grandson!!!

He even cut out a birdhouse for Andrew, but we are going to wait until Andrew is a little older to put it together.

This was a very special time, we loved it and had so much fun!

Taylor's new birdhouse is sitting on his dresser, waiting to be hung out by the water early this Spring...It'll make that bluejay that hangs out on Carrie Ann's window sill a very nice home!

Thank you Mr. Adrienne!!!! {And thank you Mrs. Bonnie for rocking Andrew to sleep!}

Oat'n'Toffee Grahams, mmm good!

    Once again, Jim came home, ranting and raving about a cookie thing a co-worker, Cherry Sims, had made and brought by for everyone to try. The next day, he came home with a hard copy of the recipe--You have all the stuff to make this, right? {It's like a kid coming home from school handing his mom instructions for a project due the very next day! You stare at it with jaw dropped, thinking, it's Christmas time, sure, I have all this and all the time in the world to do it!} She said it was so easy. So you guessed it, I made them tonight, but not after Jim saing first, "Hey honey, wanna make those cookies of Cherry's tonight? I'll help you!"  Music to my ears, he'll help me. That translates into, I'll stir and do what I'm told!
     Well, they really were easy and made my house smell oh, so sweet!

     The recipe yields 32 bars, I halved it, partly because Jim is the only one eating them, too much chocolate for me, and I don't like almonds, and partly because I didn't want to use an entire bag of chocolate morsals on something I wasn't sure Jim would finish. As always, I've included a play-by-play, except the part where Jim walked away and began doing something else...I reminded him he only had one minute til he had to take them out of the oven! P.S. If you have never gotten in the kitchen with your spouse, lovingly, and made things together, you should, it is so much FUN!!!!!!!!! When we were done, he said, you know, you are one cute pregnant girl...that was his way of telling me thank you....I wasn't lookin' too purty at that time!

Oat'n'Toffee Grahams

12     Whole Graham Crackers

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2/3 cup butter, melted
1        egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp   vanilla
1        12-oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2     cup smoke-flavored whole almonds,
          coarsely chopped {I couldn't find smoked, I just used roasted & salted}

      1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil beyond edges of pan.

      2. Arrange whole graham crackers in single layer in prepared pan.

     3. In large bowl, combine oats, sugars and flour. Add melted butter, egg, and vanilla; stir until well combined.

   

        4. Spoon over graham crackers and spread evenly to edges of pan to cover graham crackers.

      5.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until oat mixture bubbles and is lightly browned on top.

     6.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate pieces.

     7.  Return to oven 1 minute. Spread melted chocolate over top to cover.

     8.  Evenly sprinkle with almonds.

     9.  Cool in pan on wire rack.

     10. Use foil to lift from pan. Remove from foil. Cut or break into bars. Makes 32 bars.

     Can I say, YUMMO!!! We broke them into pieces instead of into 16 pieces. They are very rich, but our house smells sooooooo good now! I hope you enjoy!

Rock on Jim

     My Husband....Can I just tell you about my wonderful husband? I don't think I share enough about him. I am always talking about ME and my lemons, but the truth is, God uses Jim in amazing ways to turn my lemons into some of the absolute best lemonade!

     This weekend Jim ran the Memphis St. Jude Marathon. We had decided that we were done with marathons when he started cutting minutes off his 5K time...He trained hard and cut 45 seconds off in a matter of months! His coaching friend gave him a new marathon training plan that he wanted Jim to test out for him and asked him to do it for the St. Jude marathon. He reluctantly signed up, thinking, oh well, at least we will have a nice weekend at least. This was our 4th year to do Memphis. Jim's best marathon time was 2 hours and 51 minutes. For this race he set the goal of anything below 2:50. I always try to challenge him and promised him all kinds of special promises if he ran it faster than 2:46......When he came through at the half, 13.1, He was 1:21. I thought, hmmm, he is either going too fast and will hit a wall at 20 or he's doing really good. We waited at 26....I wasn't expecting him when he got there. When I recognized him I started screaming. It was way too early for him to be coming by. When he saw me he began pumping his fists and smiling SO big. He looked great! He gave me a high five. I told him to finish hard....He put the pedal to the metal and ran those 26.2 miles in 2 hours and 43 minutes!!!!
     One thing that Jim doesn't lack is determination. He is so focused, it drives me crazy sometimes, but if it wasn't for that determination, he wouldn't be who he is today. He's as serious as can be. He has a lot on his plate right now and I admire him for his desires to serve God first and foremost. First of all, he is a political reporter for American Family Association News {http://www.onenewsnow.com/}, Co-host of the AFA Report which airs online and on the air everyday at 12 noon central. He teaches one of the Adult 2 Sunday School classes in our church, spending at least an hour every day preparing for the lesson. Most recently, he has added a new desire under his belt. He will sign a full-time contract with Modern Woodman of America as a Financial Representative in January. He's been working part-time for them for the last few months. He's still going to keep his day job, but do this stuff on the side. He LOVES it. It takes him away from the stress of the news. Then on top of all that, he does an incredible job of being a husband and daddy to 2 of the most adorable boys ever.
     When I was waiting for God to bring Jim into my life, friends would say, "Candise, do you really think God is just going to put him right in front of you? Do you honestly think that you can just look at him and say, he's the one." I always responded, yes. Jim's a yankee! He's from northern Illinois. For some reason I was a Mississippi snob and thought that if there was any guy in MS that was the one for me, then I would have surely met him by now. I was right! haha. The first time I laid eyes on Jim, I thought, I could marry that guy...I quickly changed my thoughts to something different, I didn't want to jinx it. Then after the first conversation we had together, under the back porch of our church, for 3 hours, we both knew--we had met the one!
     I love him more and more everyday. He is smart, he knows all the intelligent stuff like politics, theology, sports, finances. Not so much about any of the other stuff! But that's okay, I know some of that stuff! He's the most honest guy I know. He's definitely the nicest guy you'll ever meet! He has integrity, dignity and eloquence. I have to pinch myself just about everyday, just to make sure I'm not dreaming! Amanda posted on her FB one day, You know you are in love when reality is better than your dreams-Dr. Seuss. I don't think I could have said it any better myself doc! Congratulations Jim, I am soooo proud of you!

How the kids entertained themselves during the race!

Diamond Bars, Jim's favorite

     Tonight Jim asked if we had anything for dessert. He had burned 3,500 calories in the race and was shocked by the number on the scale. He wanted to know if we had stuff to make Diamond Bars. Said they'd help him put on weight! Great idea hun! They are basically molasses cookies. Jim gets a grumbling for something in his tummy for something he remembers his mom making when he was growing up, so then he or I have to get on phone to get recipe, right away. These Diamond Bars are a fine example. You should see the directions he wrote down for me! {Mix all together, put in pan, bake til done}
     I told Jim I'd make them if he'd help me. Surprisingly, he said, okay, it'll be fun to make them together! There's a reason I don't usually let Jim in my kitchen. Partly because he doesn't have the mult-tasking gene and it takes him way too long to do anything in there and partly because I just don't like the way he does stuff. Perfectionism-It's a fault of mine. 
     While he played hide-n-go seek with the boys, I got all the ingredients together and prepared all our tools we'd need. 
     Everything was there, pre-mixed for him, all he had to do was hold the mixer, scrape the sides occasionaly, dump in the flour mixture and then spread it out in the pan. The boys were there to help too! They were tugging at Jim's legs, poking their fingers in raw eggs, pulling out dishes. As Jim was tripping over stuff and shewing them away, he said, I don't know how you do this everytime you cook! {He doesn't know it, but that comment made my day!} He was curious to know too, how I got them in the diamond shapes, he thought I baked them that way...As I took over, I finished spreading the batter onto the pan, he said, wow, that was easy! He held the oven door as I put them in. We had the boys pjammed and in bed by the time they were done! WooHoo!
    Here's my version for Diamond Bars there is a similar recipe on the back of the molasses jar you can use as well. I'll spare you Jim's version that he wrote down from his mom!
1 Cup     Sugar
1 Cup     Butter (softened)
2             Eggs
1/2 Cup  Molasses
1 tsp       Baking Soda
1 tsp       Cinnamon
1/2 tsp    Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp    Salt
3 Cups    Flour
     Preheat oven to 350. Cream together the sugar and Butter, then add in your molasses and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the dry ingredients-Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Ground Cloves, Salt and Flour. {If you are using salted butter or Self-rising flour, only use a pinch of salt or none at all. The flour and butter combined should provide all you need.} Add your flour mixture to your batter a cup at a time, continuing to mix until all flour is moist.

See, he really did help!

     Pour batter out onto a large cookie sheet. {If you don't have a silicone baking mat yet, you should go get one tomorrow! Revolutionizes any bread/cake/cookie you bake! Absolutey never sticks!!!} And spread out evenly to edges.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned and firm.

Dust with powdered sugar or regular sugar. Cut into diamond shapes using a pizza cutter. Sit down with a tall glass of milk and indulge!